Storage and protection case for thumb drives

ABSTRACT

A storage device and method for storing, protecting, and cataloging a plurality of thumb drives.

STATEMENT OF PRIORITY

The present application is a divisional and claims priority to currentlypending U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 14/451,882, titled“Storage and Protection Case for Thumb Drives” and filed on Aug. 5,2014.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to media storage and protection devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

USB-based flash memory storage devices (“thumb drives”) are increasinglythe storage medium of choice for digital data back-up. This is becauseof their affordability, durability, and universality, as opposed to, forexample, hard drives. In addition to uses for back-up purposes, thumbdrives are also (among many other purposes) ideal for sharing ofinformation between computer users, especially with respect to data thatis not suitable for on-line transmission (for security reasons, forexample). Further still, there exist some circumstances in which, evenif security, costs, and the like in no way urge away from use of harddrives, on-line transmissions, or other data storage and transmissionoptions, to have a tangible repository for such data. For example, abusiness that wants to provide promotional information, electronicproduct offerings or catalogs, instructional materials, and the like,may want to achieve the visual reminder aspect of providing such data ina tangible form, such as a thumb drive with the businesses name, logoand the like.

As desirable as thumb drives are, dependence on them has certain,current disadvantages. As one collects a number of thumb drives (as isincreasingly the norm), the thumb drives resemble in appearance and riskof loss or confusion, any collection of effectively indistinguishablerepositories of information or other items (such as a collection ofunlabeled CDs, DVDs, unmarked boxes, and the like). This, because therecurrently exists no effective means for labeling, organizing, orotherwise readily identifying data that resides on a thumb drive. Whileone may, in theory, mark a thumb drive's exterior with an indeliblemarker to indicate its contents, in practice, virtually no one actuallydoes this (despite the best of intentions, perhaps, to later do so, orbased on a passing belief that one will simply recall what is stored ona thumb drive).

Furthermore, even if one exhibits the discipline to label thumb drives,there still exists no option for organizing subsets of one'scollections, readily identifying such collection, nor for physicallyprotecting or displaying such drives (in bookcase fashion for overallorganization and easy location). Certainly, one can store thumb drivesin any box or other container, but without specific accommodation fororganizing, segregating, and protecting the thumb drives, the containerbecomes just another disorganized assemblage with no benefit inidentifying, organization, displaying, or protecting the thumb drives.

In view of the foregoing, there is a considerable need for, and it willwell serve all users of thumb drives to provide a storage device andmethod for storing, organizing, displaying, and identifying the contentsof collections or groupings of thumb drives. Such a storage device andassociated method of use would ideally include means for maintainingthumb drives in a relatively uniform orientation, in a physicallyprotected enclosure, and in relation to in addition to indicate thestored data.

In satisfaction of these and related needs and objectives, the presentinventor has designed a thumb drive storage device that is configuredspecifically to accommodate a plurality of thumb drives, to maintainsuch thumb drives in a relatively uniform orientation, to provideindicia relative to such plurality of thumb drives, as well as eachindividual thumb drive, to maintain each contained thumb drive in aposition relative to the individually-identifying indicia, and toprovide physical protection from impact and soiling from dust, and thelike.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the thumbdrive storage unit of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the unit of FIG. 1, opened to show theinterior configuration of such unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the thumb drive storage device of thepresent invention is identified generally by the reference numeral 10.Device 10 is a book-like-shaped enclosure with back cover wall 12, aspine wall 14, end walls 16, and a front cover wall 18. Device 10 is, inthe preferred embodiment, fabricated of substantially rigid plastic, butcould, of course, be fabricated from any number of substantially rigidand long-lasting materials (such as metal).

Situated within the interior space of device 10 are the dividers 22that, in the illustrated embodiment, define four delineated depositories(“slots”) 24 to respectively receive one additional thumb drive (notshown in the drawings). An interior, retaining wall 20 facilitatesmaintaining thumb drives in respective slots 24.

A substantially transparent cover is a fixed to the exterior of one orall of back cover wall 12, spine wall 14, and/or front cover wall 18. Asdepicted in FIG. 1, covers 26 and 28 are respectively attached to frontcover wall 18 and spine wall 14. A unitary transparent cover (notseparately shown) may also be configured. In any event, one or moremargins of such covers are left unattached to the underlying devicematerial, such that labels or other indicia-bearing media can beinserted and removed as a user as identifying information relative tothe thumb drives contained, a work to be contained, in device 10.

As previously mentioned, one need addressed by the present invention isthat of providing storage means that are specifically directed to thumbdrives. Therefore, dimensions of the various components of the device 10are important. For example, for a device 10 configured for storing fourthumb drives, the dimensions described hereafter are considered ideal,with slight variations still, of course, residing within the scope ofthe present invention. Configured substantially according to the reciteddimensions, device 10 will achieve all of the stated objectives ofaccommodating a plurality of thumb drives, maintaining such thumb drivesin a relatively uniform orientation, providing indicia (or means forretaining indicia) relative to such plurality of thumb drives, as wellas to each individual thumb drive, maintaining each contained thumbdrive in a position relative to the individually-identifying indicia,and providing physical protection from impact and soiling from dust, andthe like.

Accordingly, device 10 is approximately 3½″×3″×¾″, and in the preferredembodiment more precisely 3⅝″×2¾″×⅝″. Cover 26, in the preferredembodiment, accommodates media that is approximately 3″×3¾″, such that aconditional business card (not shown in the drawings) may be used as theindicia media.

As depicted, front cover wall the team, and spine wall 14 areessentially, hingedly attached to back cover wall 12. Reversible closuresecuring means are provided in the further embodiment in the form ofcomplementary tabs 30 on the interior surface of front cover wall 18 andrecesses 32 formed in retaining wall 20. Of course, alternative closuresecuring means could, in the alternative, include (among other options)hook and loop fastening material (VELCRO) suitably positioned, nestingengagement arrangements between front cover wall 18 and remainingstructures of device 10, and even some form of reusable adhesive.

Dividers 22, in the preferred embodiment, project from and between therespective interior surfaces of back cover wall 12 and retaining wall20. Dividers 22 are spaced approximately ⅞″ from respective end walls16, as well as from each other. This, together with the previouslymentioned dimensions of overall device 10, provides slots 24 that aresized and shaped for accommodating virtually all, presently knownconventional thumb drives. Slots 24 are, defined, for present purposesas the areas delimited by end walls 16 and adjacent dividers 22, or byadjacent, interior dividers 22, as well as the space extending therefromtoward the outer wall of device 10 (spine wall 14, in the depictedembodiment) and from the origin of the defined space opposite thereof.Slots 24, therefore, have dimensions of approximately ⅞″×⅝″×3″.

Addition to facilities for removable indicia provided by covers 24, 26,or a combined alternative (not shown in the drawings), further indiciais suggested to appear on retaining wall 20, such as is shown in FIG. 2.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specificembodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limitedsense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well asalternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent topersons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of theinvention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims willcover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A method for storing a plurality of thumb drives comprisingthe steps of: selecting an enclosure having a front cover wall, a backcover wall, a spine wall, and first and second end walls thatcollectively defined an interior space, at least one of said front coverwall, back cover wall, spine wall, and first and second end walls beingreversibly engaged with one or more of the remaining said front coverwall, back cover wall, spine wall, and first and second end walls forfacilitating reversible closure of said interior space; set enclosurehaving a plurality of divider members being substantially equally spacedand positioned within set of interior space whereby a plurality of slotspaces of substantially equal dimensions, and numbering two more thanthe plurality of said divider members, are defined within said interiorspace; inserting one or more thumb drives of a quantity between one anda number equal to said plurality of divided members plus two into saidenclosure, and; effecting said closure of said interior space
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said front cover wall, back cover wall, spinewall, first and second end walls, and said divider members being of suchdimensions as to define said slots to have dimensions of approximately⅞″×⅝″×3″.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising a substantiallytransparent indicia retaining means attached to said enclosure forreversibly inserting, maintaining, and displaying indicia means, andfurther comprising the step of inserting indicia means into said indiciaretaining means.
 4. The method of claim 2 further comprising asubstantially transparent indicia retaining means attached to saidenclosure for reversibly inserting, maintaining, and displaying indiciameans, and further comprising the step of inserting indicia means intosaid indicia retaining means.